Introduction
The
Wilson WATT Puppy has been the reference standard loudspeaker for
high-end consumer use for more than 10 years. David Wilson and his
design team have taken a fresh look at their most popular loudspeaker
with the version 6.0 release. Priced at $20,000 per pair, the new WATT
Puppies are greatly improved over the former version, the 5.1s, in that
they utilize new cabinet material and have better cabinet construction
and design, as well as improved drivers.
Version 6.0 WATT Puppies share a similar look with the previous
versions, although the way the WATT now sits inside of the Puppy is
different. Originally, the WATT was designed to be a portable monitor
for location recording. It had no real bass, so Wilson ultimately
developed the Puppy to extend the WATT’s low frequency performance to
nearly full-range status. Version 6.0 finally fully physically
integrates the WATT and the Puppy. Another difference between versions
5.1 and 6.0 ...

Introduction
Are
you insane for investing $6,590 for a center speaker and speaker stand?
The unenlightened might say "yes," but now more than ever, a
timbre-matched center speaker is of the highest importance. You've
likely heard that that as much as 80 percent of a movie's dialogue
comes from the center speaker. That's great, but does it require a
$6,500 investment? It depends on your system and how you use it, of
course. If you've got Wilson MAXX or Grand SLAMM loudspeakers and/or a
very serious big-gun video system, then the answer could be "yes."
Realistically, most Wilson clients, current and potential, are looking
at investing in Wilson CUB IIs or WATT Puppies v6.0s for front
speakers, which are priced between $10,000 and $20,000 per pair. How
can these clients justify building up their system with WATCH
peripheral loudspeakers for center and/or rear channels? These are the
requirements of DVD-Audio. While Wilson loudspeakers have long ...

Introduction
Wilson
Audio is a name that needs little formal introduction. In business for
over 20 years, creator of the WATT/Puppy - AudioRevolution.com’s 1999
Speaker and Product of the Year - Wilson Audio is the company behind
the new entry-level CUB II loudspeaker. Few companies over the decades
have sustained Wilson Audio’s high measure of success and respect
within the audio industry.
At first glance, the Wilson
CUB’s look is pretty darn basic. They resemble fairly typical
mini-monitors. That is, of course, if you are looking at them from
across a room. The finish on the CUBs, as with all Wilson loudspeakers,
is second to none. Wilson calls this their WilsonGloss finish. For
those who haven’t seen WilsonGloss at close range, we’re talking pure
art. This article and the photos here couldn’t begin to do justice to
the finish on the CUBs. I recently had the opportunity to visit the
Wilson factory in Provo, Utah, and ...

Introduction
The
Wadia 830 compact disc player is the latest addition to the Wadia
family of CD players and digital separates. At $3250 including remote,
the Wadia 830 is the most affordable member of the line up and is based
on many of their design achievements pioneered on the more pricey
reference 860 CD player. On the 830, Wadia uses the same DAC board
design and analog technology found in the 850 and 860. The DACs in the
830 are the top of the line Burr Brown 1702s. These are essentially the
same as those found in the 850 and 860, however the chips in the 850
and 860 are the 1702K's, the K representing matched pair status. The
other mechanical difference between the 830 and it's big brothers is
it's Pioneer Stable Platter Transport. The 850 and 860 use the Teac CMK
Mk.4 and Mk.3.2 respectively.
The 830 features the digital volume control ...

Introduction
The Wadia 860 is a $7,450 CD player and digital preamplifier housed in one complete, highly refined package. Seven inches tall by 17 inches wide by 16 inches deep, the Wadia 860 is an all-in-one, high-power front end that needs only an amplifier, loudspeakers linked with a pair of speaker and interconnect cables to make beautiful music.
The Wadia 860 has an elegant and simple design throughout its chassis. The philosophy behind the 860 is to keep as much circuitry as possible out of the signal path in order to reproduce a traditional 16-bit CD (or other future sources via digital input) with the highest level of resolution and emotional impact possible. Wadia, a leader in cutting-edge digital playback since the late 1980s, uses three unique technologies in the 860 which make it truly special.
The Wadia Digital Volume Control challenges the ...